Court date set for officer charged in G20 assault

A Toronto police officer charged with assaulting a resident at the G20 summit last June has been scheduled to return to court Sept. 12.

Constable Glenn Weddell was not in court Thursday but was “doing fine” despite the charges, said lawyer Maureen Salama, who appeared on his behalf to set the next date.

The defence is still awaiting disclosure, Ms. Salama said, and no decision has been made in terms of a plea.

Const. Weddell was charged with assault causing bodily harm in relation to injuries sustained by resident Dorian Barton in the area of Queen’s Park last summer.

Mr. Barton, 30, was photographing mounted police when riot officers allegedly tackled him. In the process, he sustained a black eye and a fractured right arm.

The province’s Special Investigations Unit, which investigates incidents of death or serious injury involving police, conducted three subsequent probes into the Barton incident before laying charges against Const. Weddell.

Only one other Toronto officer has been charged in relation to the G20, despite hundreds of complaints from residents about police conduct at the world leaders’ summit.